Computer-controlled connector-panel system

Abstract

A system and method for ensuring that a large number of connectors, such as fiber-optic cable-connectors, which are plugged-into connector-receptacles arrayed across a connector-panel, are not intentionally disconnected by an un-authorized user with malicious intent, or accidentally unplugged by an authorized technician who may be trying to manually pull-out a specific connector for testing or other purposes but, inadvertently, could otherwise unplug a neighboring connector because of not being able to clearly see which plug is actually being removed due to the large number of cables that are connected to the panel. The connectors are locked in place by restraining arms which are controlled by solenoids or motors. Each restraining arm can be commanded to release its respective connector, but only when the correct command from a computer is received. The same system and method can be applied to connector-receptacles arrayed on one or both sides of the panel. The same system and method can be applied to other cables, such as coax cables or Cat 5 cables.

1. A system comprising:
 a connector-panel; 
 a first plurality of cable-connector-receptacles formed in-said panel as an array, each receptacle having a controllable locking arm; 
 a second plurality of cable-connectors, said second plurality being less than, or equal to, in number, said first plurality, each one of said cable-connectors being lockable into a different one of said cable-connector-receptacles by a respective said controllable locking arm; 
 a control unit associated with said panel for controlling each said locking arm to be in a locked or unlocked position; and 
 a computer system through which a user, gated by an authorized confirming user, can command operation of said control unit to place said each said locking arm in said locked or said unlocked position, said user commanding said operation by interaction with a first GUI display included in said system, said commanding being gated by said authorized confirming user repeating said interaction on a second GUI display included in said system, said gated commanding by said authorized confirming user being required prior to occurrence of any connector action and before said user can command said operation of said control unit to place said each said locking arm in said locked or said unlocked position, 
 wherein said computer system also provides a predetermined time interval measured from said interaction with said first GUI display, and wherein said repeating said interaction on said second GUI display must occur within said predetermined time interval to permit said occurrence of said any connector action and to permit said user to command or control said operation of said each said locking arm into said locked or said unlocked position. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein each one of said receptacles is identified and located by a unique array coordinate. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein said computer system includes:
 a database containing said array coordinate information for said each one of said receptacles and at least status information on said each said locking arm associated, respectively, with said each one of said receptacles. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein said computer system further includes:
 an input/output subsystem by which a user can observe said status information for said each said locking arm and direct a command to a particular locking arm located at a particular said array coordinate to place said particular locking arm in said locked or said unlocked position. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4  wherein said input/output system comprises a keyboard operating with a graphical user interface (GUI) terminal screen and a mouse. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5  wherein said GUI displays an equivalent of said unique array coordinate for all or a portion of said each one of said receptacles along with said status information corresponding to said coordinate and an icon or dialog box corresponding to said status information, thereby enabling a user of said GUI to enter said command by appropriate clicking of said mouse on said icon or in said dialog box. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 4  wherein said user directs commands to said particular locking arm via a network. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  wherein said network is a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN) and/or Internet. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 3  wherein said status information further comprises:
 connector position information about whether or not a cable-connector is positioned in said each one of said receptacles. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  wherein, for certain of said receptacles each having a different one of said cable-connectors positioned therein, said status information further comprises:
 locking information about whether or not said each different cable-connector is locked in position. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9  wherein said connector position information is provided by operation of an infra-red detection system installed in said each one of said receptacles. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 each of said first plurality of cable-connector-receptacles is located on a first side of a two-sided panel of said panel system and conductively connected through said panel to a second side of said panel; 
 each of a first plurality of cables, on said second side of said two-sided panel, is conductively connected at one end thereof to a different one of said first plurality of cable-connector-receptacles on the second side of said two-side panel; and 
 each of said second plurality of cable-connectors is permanently attached to one end of a different one of a second plurality of cables on said first side of said panel, said second plurality of cable-connectors being equal in number to said second plurality of cables. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12  wherein said second plurality of cables on the first side of said panel is selected from the group of cables consisting of fiber optic cables, coaxial cables and Cat 5 cables. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13  wherein said first plurality of cables on the second side of said panel is selected from the group of cables consisting of fiber optic cables, coaxial cables and Cat 5 cables to match the selected group of second plurality of cables. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12  wherein said each of said first plurality of cables is connected at the other end thereof to a source and/or destination for signals conducted through a respective one of said second plurality of cables. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1  wherein said locking arm has a default position and said default position is said locked position. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1  wherein said each one of said cable-connectors is locked into its respective receptacle and said each controllable locking arm further comprises:
 a solenoid or a motor for moving a mechanical constraint bar in a manner to allow withdrawal of any one or more of said each one of said cable-connectors. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17  wherein a different cable-connector can be manually inserted into a receptacle from which said any one cable-connector was withdrawn. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 1  wherein said interaction is clicking on an answer in a dialog box on a terminal screen on said first GUI display and said repeating is clicking, on the same said answer in a substantially identical dialog box on a different terminal screen on said second GUI display. 
     
     
       20. A system comprising:
 a connector-panel; 
 a plurality of cable-connector-receptacles formed in said panel, each receptacle having a controllable locking arm; 
 a plurality of cable-connectors, each one of said cable-connectors being locked into a different one of said cable-connector-receptacles by a respective said controllable locking arm; and 
 a computerized sub-system through which a user, gated by an authorized confirming user, controls operation of each said controllable locking arm, said user controlling said operation by interaction with a first GUI display included in said sub-system, said controlling being gated by said authorized confirming user repeating said interaction on a second GUI display included in said sub-system, said gated controlling by said authorized confirming user being required prior to occurrence of any connector action and before said user controls said operation of said each said controllable locking arm into a locked or an unlocked position, 
 wherein said computerized sub-system also provides a predetermined time interval measured from said interaction with said first GUI display, and wherein said repeating said interaction on said second GUI display must occur within said predetermined time interval to permit said occurrence of said any connector action and to permit said user to command or control said operation of said each said locking arm into said locked or said unlocked position. 
 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20  wherein said cable-connectors are fiber-optic cable connectors, said system further comprising:
 a plurality of fiber optic cables conductively connected, respectively, to said each one of said fiber-optic cable-connectors; 
 whereby any one or all of said fiber-optic cables can only be removed and re-connected, or can only be removed and replaced with a different fiber-optic cable, under control of said computerized subsystem. 
 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 20  wherein said interaction is clicking on an answer in a dialog box on a terminal screen on said first GUI display and said repeating is clicking on the same said answer in a substantially identical dialog box on a different terminal screen on said second GUI display. 
     
     
       23. A method, comprising:
 providing a plurality of cable-connectors locked in their respective connector-receptacles distributed over a connector-panel; and 
 unlocking, only by operation of a computer, one or more of said plurality of cable-connectors, said computer receiving a command to initiate said unlocking from a user gated by an authorized confirming user, said user issuing said command by interaction with a first GUI display, said authorized confirming user duplicating said interaction on a second GUI display, said user command to initiate said unlocking not causing any connector action to occur prior to occurrence of said authorized confirming user gated command, said authorized confirming user gated command required for said unlocking to occur, 
 wherein said operation of said computer also provides a predetermined time interval measured from said interaction with said first GUI display, and wherein said authorized confirming user must duplicate said interaction on said second GUI display within said predetermined time interval to provide said authorized confirming user gated command required for said unlocking to occur. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23  further comprising:
 cables connected to said cable-connectors. 
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24  wherein said cables are fiber-optic cables. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 23  wherein said one or more cable-connectors are available to be manually unplugged from their connector-receptacles. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 23  wherein said connector-panel has two sides separated by a panel-thickness and said lockable connector-receptacles are distributed either over one of said two sides only or are distributed over said two sides. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 23  wherein said unlocking further comprises:
 said user obtaining information from a database via said computer on said connector-receptacles; 
 said user selecting one of said connector-receptacles from said information; 
 said user entering said command into said computer to change locking state of said one of said connector-receptacles; 
 said computer transmitting said command to a controller associated with said panel; and 
 said controller controlling said locking state of said one of said connector-receptacles to conform to said command. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 23  wherein said interaction is clicking on a particular answer in a dialog box on a terminal screen on said first GUI display and said duplicating is clicking on said particular answer in a substantially identical dialog box on a different terminal screen on said second GUI display. 
     
     
       30. A system comprising:
 a connector-panel; 
 a plurality of cable-connector-receptacles formed in said panel, each receptacle having a controllable locking arm; 
 a plurality of cable-connectors, each one of said cable-connectors being locked into a different one of said cable-connector-receptacles by a respective said controllable locking arm; and 
 a computerized sub-system through which a user, gated by an authorized confirming user, controls operation of each said controllable locking arm, said user controlling said operation by interaction with a first GUI display included in said sub-system, said controlling being gated by said authorized confirming user repeating said interaction on a second GUI display included in said sub-system, 
 wherein said computerized sub-system also provides a predetermined time interval measured from said interaction with said first GUI, and wherein said repeating said interaction on said second GUI display must occur within said predetermined time interval to permit occurrence of any connector action and to permit said user to command or control said operation of said each said locking arm into a locked or unlocked position. 
 
     
     
       31. A method, comprising:
 providing a plurality of cable-connectors locked in their respective connector-receptacles distributed over a connector-panel; and 
 unlocking, only by operation of a computer, one or more of said plurality of cable-connectors, said computer receiving a command to initiate said unlocking from a user gated by an authorized confirming user, said user issuing said command by interaction with a first GUI display, said authorized confirming user duplicating said interaction on a second GUI display, 
 wherein said operation of said computer also provides a predetermined time interval measured from said interaction, with said first GUI display, and wherein said authorized confirming user must duplicate said interaction on said second GUI display within said predetermined time interval to provide said authorized confirming user gated command required for said unlocking to occur.